Renowned naturalist and broadcaster David Attenborough chooses the 10 endangered animals from around the world that he’d most like to save from extinction. Tigers and pandas hit the headlines but for David it’s the unusual ones that interest him.
In Attenborough’s Ark, David explains why
these animals are so important, and highlights the ingenious work of biologists across the world who are helping to keep them alive.

His top 10 includes Darwin’s frog - the only frog in the world where the male gives birth to its young, the olm - a salamander that can live to a hundred amongst others.

The list also features the Sumatran rhino - the smallest and most threatened species of rhino and Attenborough tells the story of the first-ever Sumatran rhino to be born in captivity in Asia. After years of failed attempts, a male Sumatran rhino was born at Cincinnati zoo. He was sent to Sumatra, where he was matched up with a native female. The result was a historic baby, which gives hope to the rest of the species.

The famous Darwin frog that features on Attenborough's Ark

David also introduces his favourite monkey - the mischievous black lion tamarin - which is being bred successfully at Durrell Wildlife Park.

Attenborough's Ark also includes the solenodon - an ancient mammal; the northern quoll – a charismatic marsupial at risk from cane toads; marvellous spatuletail - a rare hummingbird; the Sunda pangolin, whose scaly armour is made of keratin; Priam’s birdwing butterfly - the largest on Earth; and Venus’s flower basket – a marine animal made entirely from silica.

About AttenboroughSir David Frederick Attenborough is a British broadcaster and naturalist.

His career as the face and voice of natural history programmes has endured for more than 50 years. He is best known for writing and presenting the nine Life series, in conjunction with the BBC Natural History Unit, which collectively form a comprehensive survey of all life on the planet. He is also a former senior manager at the BBC, having served as controller of BBC Two and director of programming for BBC Television in the 1960s and 1970s. He is the only person to have won a BAFTA in black and white, colour, HD and 3D. Read more